I considered doing “First Day of School Activities” as a column topic, but decided against it since it was a topic for teachers, not kids. For nine years I have focused on sites for kids and decided not to rock the boat now.

Achieving success in school isn’t always easy, but it is doable if you put your mind to it. Step one is improving your study skills. Although many of this week’s study skill sites are written by university counselors, their sound advice is equally applicable to middle and high-school students.

Homework Helper: Study Skillshttp://www.infoplease.com/homework/studyskills1.html “There is no secret to being a good student — all it takes is a lot of hard work!” To ensure your hard work is productive, dive into these three great articles from Information Please: Taking Notes, Reading Textbooks, Studying for Tests. I was never taught study skills (am I showing my age here?) but as I read this advice, I did recognize a few tactics from my own arsenal. For example, I always browse through a book (or textbook) before reading it. Getting an overview of the material first increases retention.

How to Studyhttp://www.how-to-study.com/ Peter Canavan, a Florida teacher and guidance counselor, divides his recommendations into ten sections. In addition to listening and reading comprehension, How to Study includes three sections on using index cards for learning vocabulary (make your own flash cards), writing a research paper (use one for each bibliographic source) and public speaking (write a single idea on each card.) Even in these days of electronic information, the versatile index card survives and thrives.

University of North Carolina: Study Habits & The Ten Trapshttp://www.unc.edu/depts/unc_caps/TenTraps.html The appeal of top ten lists is universal, and the Ten Traps of Studying doesn’t disappoint. Here’s one I remember from college: “I’m Gonna Stay Up All Night ’til I Get This.” Unfortunately exhaustion takes its toll both physically and mentally, and recall improves when study time is spread out over time (not crammed into a single session.) Whenever you study, remember to take plenty of breaks; the experts seem to agree on ten minutes every hour.

Thank you, thank you for thinking of children and stimulating their creative, inquisitive minds!Mary J. Vrablic

**Printables Club members get 6 to 9 recommended sites (instead of the 3 included in this free newsletter) and oodles of additional educational content with the Surfnetkids Premium Newsletter. Learn more with a ten-day trial:http://www.surfnetkids.com/printables-club.htm

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